45°
The best way to prevent accidents on the stairs is to carpet them, says Victor Scaglione, owner of The Carpet Experts in Harrison, N.Y. Scaglione sells and installs carpeting in lower Westchester and Fairfield Counties.
Once you've picked out your carpet, you'll have a few more decisions to make. Here's the lowdown on what you need to know:
* Are you going to cover the steps with carpet or do you want some wood to show on either side of a runner?
* If you're installing a runner, a four-inch wood border on either side looks good if your staircase is three feet wide. A five-inch border looks better on a wider staircase.
* There are two options for how the carpet will come over the steps: cap and band or waterfall. Cap and band (also known as Hollywood in the trade) takes longer to install because the carpet is wrapped tightly around the front edge of the stair tread. It gives a more finished look. Take a look at the photos to see the difference.
* Make sure you keep any leftover carpeting. A couple of steps always get more wear and tear and you may need that extra carpet for a repair down the road.
Keeping your stair carpet vacuumed regularly will help keep it looking new. "The main thing is to keep the dirt out," says Scaglione. "And scotchguard the carpet after you have it cleaned."
Have you ever slipped on un-carpeted stairs?
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
